ENGLISH TEXTS

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FEMINIZATION OF THE RACING FIELDS – A SOURCE OF PRIDE, MADE IN CLUB GRC

Did you know? The feminization of horse racing in France, as we know it today, undeniably traces its roots back to amateur racing, which began in 1960 at Cagnes-sur- Mer after 130 years of male monopoly.

TRAILBLAZERS WHO LEFT THEIR MARK Micheline Leurson An iconic and unmatched career with 149 wins, twelve Cravaches d’ Or, three Golden Spurs( Fegentri). She was the first woman promoted to roles traditionally held by men: handicapper, steward, vice-president of the Club under Henry de Montesquieu …

Darie Boutboul The Tiercé remained a male-only domain from its inception in 1964 until April 29, 1984, when the first female victory was recorded— not by a professional jockey, but by amateur rider Darie Boutboul, who bested seasoned jockeys at Longchamp aboard her trusted Abdonski.

Martine Kosciusko-Morizet( later Mrs. de Beauregard) First-ever woman to ride the steeplechase course at Fontainebleau.

Édith de Brétizel First female rider to compete in a Tiercé, paired with Bleu de Méthylène, against professionals at Auteuil in December 1975. The amateur racing program honors her in March with a race named after her!

Miss Elizabeth Loyen( later Mrs. André Fabre) First woman to take part in the Prix de France( Grand Steeple-Chase for amateurs at Butte Mortemart), and Mrs. Sylvie Masurel( née Sylvie de Roüalle), first woman to win it in 1984( and again in 1985 with the same horse, Diasos).

Isabelle Le Maresquier First woman to beat professional jockeys in a PMU race, held in Saint-Cloud in November 1975- finishing ahead of Lester Piggott …

TIMELINE 1833 Creation of the Société-Mère du Galop.

1932 & 1933 Two races per year are held in Maisons-Laffitte( off-program).

1934 The Prefect of Paris bans the scheduling of a“ Ladies’ Race” at Longchamp due to“ fear of incident”.

October 1960 Two experimental races held in Fontainebleau and Maisons-Laffitte, with mandatory equestrian jackets for the female participants- the racing silks were deemed“ too suggestive”.

November 1960 Creation of the Cercle des Amazones de France( alongside the Gentlemen’ s Club, founded in 1922- the two would not merge until 1993).

December 19, 1960 The licensing of female riders is approved by the Commissioners of the Société d’ Encouragement- with the nuance that this license would only be valid for six months( unlike the one-year licenses granted to Gentlemen). Determined to tightly regulate the entry of women into racing, the Code’ s drafters zealously imposed rules such as:“ no speaking to bettors or making any sign of understanding whatsoever”( sic),“ present husband’ s permission if applicable,”“ no makeup or lipstick,” and“ hair must be tied back”…

March 5, 1961 First official PMU race exclusively for female riders, held in Cagnes-sur-Mer.

October 6, 1961 First Parisian PMU race at Maisons-Laffitte, won by Micheline Leurson *.

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